Differential flow valve for wells



Feb. 9, 1954 Filed Feb. 11,

W. H. SEYFFERT, JR

DIFFERENTIAL FLOW VALVE FOR WELLS j r II '48 II II I-! if -3e H H -l6 IIll 33+ 34- 3 34 J FIG. I

'2 Sheets-Sheet l I I y FIG. 3

WALTER H. SEYFFERT JR.

INVENTOR.

BY fun/m.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 9, 1954 w. H SEYFFERT, JR

DIFFERENTIAL FLOW VALVE FOR WELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1949FIG. 5

FIG. 7

WALTER H. SEYFFERT JR.

INVENTOR. am 6.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE DIFFERENTIALFLOW VALVE FOR WELLS Walter H- fi rfiert Jr H ste n Tex. when to CameoIncorporated Application February 11, 1949, Serial No. 75,863

The invention relates to an improvement in differential flow valves, andto well flowing therewith.

It is an object of this invention to provide a diderential flow valve inwhich turbulence is re: duced by providing a valve seat face which istangent to the inrushing cylinder of gas or fluid.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a valve of this classin which the seating unit comprises-a metallic element and also an ele:

ment of organic material or plastic, whereby both a metal to metal and ametal to organic material seat may be obtained.

It is a further object of this invention to pro: vide a valve of thisclass in which the valve element of organic material is highly Wearresistant; does not swell to any objectionable extent under pressure;and forms a perfect seal with metal.

t is still another object. of this invention to provide a valve of thisclass which will provide a metal to metal seatin case of leakage throughthe metal to organic material seat.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a valve of. thisclass in which the orifices are removable to insure that Orifice sizemay be readily changed, and are of substantial length and areconsequently more durable and can also provide a more uniform flowtherethrough.

Yet another object of this invention is the providing of a valve of thisclass which opens automatically responsive to the pressure differ entialbetween casing. pressure and tubing pressure.

Another object of this invention is the providing of a valve of thisclass which has as its one working part the stem assembly,

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a valve ofthis class which has port means in the end of the stem thereof to dampenthe closing of the valve.

It is still a further object of this invention-to provide a valve ofthis class in which the differ.- ential may be readily adjusted.

Still a further object of this invention considers the provision of avalve of this classwhich is simple in design and construction; which iseasily repaired; and which has a long life m? ciency.

It is also an object of this inventio to provide a valve and mandrelassembly in which the valveis mounted between lugs on themandrelexterior, thereby permitting a, vfull and uninterr ruped openingthrough the interior of themes:- drel and tubing assembly.

2 01amnew It is a further object of this invention to pro-; vide anassembly of thisv class in which the valve may be adjustably mountedbetween protective lugs and locked against being loosened by vibration.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an assembly ofthis class in which the valve orifices extend from the valve and act asstops against the valve being rotated loose from its mounting on themandrel due to excessive vi-, bration.

Another object of this invention is the providing of an assembly of thisclass which includes a check ball to prevent ba-ckilow of fluid fromtubing tocasing.

Other and further objects of this invention will be obvious when thespecification is consid:

ered in connection with the drawings, in which;

Fig. l is a sectional view of the valve;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the stem assembly;

3 is a plan view of the valve;

Fig. 4 .is a view, part in section, which shows the valve and mandrel;the unseated stem assembly not being shown.

Fig. 5 is a view, part in section, which shows another manner ofassembling valve and man drel;

.Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view which shows the stem assemblyseated in the valve and mandrel assembly-of Fig.4; v

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan view. through the valveand part of the mandrel which shows assembled relationship of valve andmandrel.

The valve assembly 1 includes a sleeve 2, which is internally threadedat one end to receive a seat element 3 and internally threaded at theother end to receive an end closure piece 4.

The stem assembly '5 includes the stem 6 which has a threaded bore 7'and a cup 8 at one end so that the seating unit a may bended thereto.This seating unit 5 includes a metallic seating element in which has athreaded end 12 which passes centrally through the organicma terialseatingelement H to be threaded intothe bore *1 so; that the body I 3 ofthe seating element Is may firmly confine the element H between the facel4 and the cup 8. For purposes ofadjnstment a set screw i5 is firstthreaded into the bore 1 to the desired depth and when theend i2 isthreaded into the bore Tto contact the'head of this t screw [5, theseating unit 9 isfihiiii'r locked to the stem.

ht the other end the stem 6 terminates ina sh f 16 W sh sl desmb e? t ebore n" of the 3 closure piece 4, and between the shaft l6 and the stembody 11, the stem has a threaded section 18 which may shoulder againstthe closure piece top 48 without sealing therewith, and which hasthereon the nut [9 which confines the spring 20 between the top surfaceof the nut and the internal shoulder 21 of the sleeve 2. The nut 30 onthe threaded section l8 may then be tightened against the nut 19 to lockthe nuts on the stem.

The valve assembly I is adapted for assembly with the mandrel 22, theseat element 3 being threadable into the protective lug 23 and the screw24, which is threadable in the protective lug 25, being adjustable sothat the head 26 thereof will bind against the closure piece 4 when thescrew is locked in such position by the nut 49. The orifices 21, whichare threaded into the sleeve 2 at diametrically opposite points thereon,offer additional security against the valve i being threaded byvibration into fuller engagement with protective lug 23 and thereforeout of engagement with the screw head 25, since the valve can onlyrotate less than one fourth of a turn before the orifice head 28 of anorifice 21 will be brought into stopping engagement with the mandrel 22.This feature will also insure against the valve becoming unscrewed fromthe lug 23 in cases where the screw 24 may not be employed, or maybecome broken off in operation.

Prior to assembling valve and mandrel, the tension of the spring 20 isadjusted by means of nuts 19 and 30 until it exerts some pre-determinedpressure, as 125 pounds per square inch. The valve, mandrel, and checkball 29, may then be assembled as shown in Fig. 4, and the mandrelassembled with the tubing string of a well, the male end 3| of themandrel being lowermost and the female end 32 uppermost.

Fluid, as gas, in the casing or bore surrounding the tubing or pumpingstring, may exert pressure, or may be built up to exert a pressure, asby forcing gas from the top of the well into the bore or casing, andthis pressure may be set at some pre-determined figure, as 500 poundsper square inch. Such pressure will operate on the end surface 33 of thestem shaft [6, the fluid having access to the stem shaft by way of thecross slits 34. This pressure will be suflicient to firmly close thevalve, as shown in Fig. 6.

The back pressure created by the gas passing in through the orificeports 35 and on up into the lower pressure area of the tubing or mandrelinterior offers negligible resistance to the closing of the valve. Thestem shaft It has the axially extending port 36 therein, which iscrossed by the radially extending port 31, so that prior to the closingof the valve gas may pass into the valve interior through these ports tooperate on the dash pot principle and dampen the closing of the valve,but the balance of areas is such as to positively insure that the valvewill close.

As shown in Fig. 6, a double seat is obtained in the valve, the seatingsurface 38 of the metallic seating element it being chamfered at oneangle, as 45, while the corresponding surface 39 of the seat element 3is chamfered at another angle, as 30 to the horizontal. n the other handthe face 40 of the seat element 3 is spaced from the surface 39 thereofso as to extend against the organic material sealing element II when thevalve is closed. The head 4| of the seating element in then extends farenough above the chamfered surface 42 of the seat element 3 to 4 keepthe check ball 29 from being seated by fluid pressures from within thetubing string or mandrel.

Fluid, as oil within the tubing, builds up a pressure head as it risestherein until such pressure in this cited example exceeds 3'75 poundsper square inch. This pressure added to the 125 pounds per square inchspring pressure, exceeds the 500 pounds per square inch setting of thegas pressure in the casing or bore and acts thereagainst to unseat thevalve.

Because of the excessive turbulence resulting from the inrushing of gasthrough the orifice ports 35 radially spaced about the sleeve 2 andshown diametrically opposed in Fig. 1, it has been found necessary toprovide a seat element 3 having a face 40, which will extend in assemblyso as to be tangent to the cylinders or jets of inrushing gas which willpass over such face and impinge upon each other. The gas will then flowupwardly through the seat element into the tubing string. As such gas isunder greater pressure than the fiuid column in the tubing string, theresult of such differential in pressure will permit the gas to force thefluid upwardly in the tubing. After this occurs the pressure acting fromthe tubing to maintain the valve open will fall below the pre-determinedopening figure, as 375 pounds per square inch, and permit the gaspressure in the casing or bore to close the valve again.

In order to keep the check ball 29 from being blown out into the mandrelor tubing by the gas when the valve opens the lug 23 has a bar 43 whichextends across the port 44, and a recess 45 is also provided in the lugto receive the ball when in open position.

It is a feature of this invention to provide an organic material seatingelement H which will not swell in the presence of oil; which isespecially wear resistant against the constant impingement of fluid orgas thereupon as such passes into the valve at high velocities throughthe orifice ports 35; and which is calculated to seal perfectly withmetal. Materials such as rubber or synthetic rubber such as neoprenewould not meet these requirements and it was necessary to developI-Iycar, an organic material from the field of plastics, to meet suchspecifications.

In the absence of l-Iycar as the material of the seating element I i, orin case such element could be conceived of as deteriorating in serviceuntil the whole outer portion, defined by the annulus outward of theinner rim of the face d6, falls away, the valve would still provide aseal between the surfaces 38 and 39.

As the orifice port diameter 35 is a function of the valve operation itis a feature of this invention to provide removable orifices 28 so thatorifices of varying port diameters may be installed.

Fig. 5 shows a modification of the assembly of valve and mandrel whichmay be employed in cases where a well has a tremendous volume of waterin the tubing string and is not likely to build up any pressure offluid, as oil, to open the valve until after the water has been removed.This assembly permits the valve to be installed in most favorableposition to protect the interior parts thereof from sand and foreignsubstances which might otherwise enter from the tubing or mandrel. Suchassembly omits the check valve since there is no danger of the valveopening until a tremendous head of water is built up above the valvelocation.

Broadly, this invention considers an improved differential valve whichis not limited to the specific features of turbulence reduction,removable orifices, double seating valve, valve element composition, andassembly features of valve and mandrel herein specifically disclosed,but consideration is given to all structures capable of carrying out theobjects of invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a well flowing assembly the combination of, a valve comprising asuccessively interconnected bored seat element, sleeve, and boredclosure piece, a stem having a seating unit at one end adapted to seatin said seat element and a shaft at the other end adapted to slide insaid closure piece bore, adjustment means on said stem, stop means insaid sleeve, resilient means adjustably confined between said stop meansand adjustment means, orifice means through said sleeve wall, a mandrel,a plug thereon adapted to receive said seat element, and a passagewaythrough said plug between the interior of said mandrel and said seatelement bore and a check ball in said passageway, and a bar across saidpassageway to prevent the check ball from being blown into said mandrel.

2. In a well flowing assembly the combination of, a valve comprising asuccessively interconnected bored seat element, sleeve, and boredclosure piece, a stem having a seating unit at one end adapted to seatin said seat element and a shaft at the other end adapted to slide insaid closure piece bore, adjustment means on said stem, stop means insaid sleeve, resilient means adjustably confined between said stop meansand adjustment means, orifice means through said sleeve wall, a mandrel,a plug thereon adapted to receive said seat element, a passagewaythrough said plug between the interior of said mandrel and said seatelement bore, said orifice means comprising a pair of diametricallyoppositely located removable orifices on said sleeve and extendingtherefrom, said valve being in such proximity to said mandrel that theextending orifices act as steps against the mandrel afterless than onequarter turn of valve rotation.

WALTER H. SEYFFERT, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 818,054 Sears Apr. 17, 1906 855,350 Singmaster May 28, 19071,698,097 Honywill, Jr Jan. 8, 1929 1,885,338 Estep Nov. 1, 19321,944,155 Dippman Jan. 23, 1934 2,002,672 Melott May 28, 1935 2,188,656Guiberson Jan. 20, 1940 2,241,656 Crickmer May 13, 1941 2,265,835 GodseyDec. 9, 1941 2,265,836 Godsey Dec. 9, 1941 2,292,768 Parker Aug. 11,1942 2,312,315 Boynton Mar. 2, 1943 2,314,869 Boynton Mar. 30, 19432,321,003 Boynton June 18, 1943 2,413,869 Hamer Jan. 7, 1947 2,446,940Mahon Aug. 10, 1948 2,465,060 Carlisle Mar. 22, 1949 2,588,715 GarrettMar. 11, 1952

